Underneath It All
by elfingypsy
Summary: Rebirth is an odd thing and when it happens twice,in one life time it sets the stage for a whole load of trouble,then toss in a stalking creature of the night..
1. Default Chapter

The town seemed sleepy and quiet to the general populace,until the sun slowly started to set across the clear winter sky.  
  
Here and there mothers urged there children indoors and shut and locked up for the night,to hide under there sheets with blankets pulled to there chins and pray that the howls in the night stayed as far away as possiable,and that the next loss wouldn't be one of there wee ones.  
  
A brief breeze stirred the red-golden hair of the young woman as she made her way along the streets of the town,her hand went to her leather cap to keep it over her slightly pointed ears.  
  
"Ania,girl you should be getting yourself back to your father's wagon,the sun waits for no one" called old Gretty,it had been said Gretty's only daughter had been taken by the howls in the night.  
  
The girl paused and shook her head again,"I have a feeling something special will happen tonight I can't put my finger on it,Gret..."she said as she tapped a elegant finger to her lips."My father is entertaining a guest tonight anyways.."she added and the scorn would not come from her voice.  
  
Gretty sighed and hugged the wayward girl,as it went Gretty understood,her birth had been the effect of a one night stand with a elven woman from a place called Waterdeep and the elf had died in child birth leaveing the caravan leader with a half elven grandchild.  
  
"You have so much anger,Ania its what keeps you here" she whispered as she petted the stiff girl,"be wary you don't attract the brides." she whispered as she kissed the symbol of the maiden of the mists.  
  
Ania pulled away from her and patted her shoulder,"I will see you tomarrow Gretty"her musical voice as always held that note of anger.  
  
Gretty couldn't have known that Ania had been hunting the lesser minions of the vampire lord,she had been lucky enough to come into possession of one of Van Richten's guides.  
  
As the girl made her way into the Inn of the Jaded Dragon her sixth sense against monsters didn't go off,there for she didn't see the red eyes that followed her every graceful move,prehaps her luck was about to run out. 


	2. The Golden Wolf

centerh1Chapter One/h1  
font size="3"bThe Jaded Dragon/font/b  
  
pThe usual crowd greeted Ania as she entered one of her favorite hang outs in Barovia's villiage.She just waved and eased herself onto a wooden stool,her hands folded before her on the bar as she looked to the bartender Kreg.  
br"Hey Kreg gimme a spiced cider" she said thoughtfully as she opened the black leather sactchal at her side and sorted through it to find the book she had been reading,her gaze scanning words and hand drawn pictures.  
  
brKreg a dwarf of great strength grabbed the top of the book. "How 'bout a song then girl?"he said with a raised brow.He alone knew that Ania went into the woods to sing to the trees and animals.  
  
br"No"   
brThe words had come out sharper then she had intended them to.She looked sorry,but she didn't like haveing her reading disturbed.  
br"Sorry for that.."she immediately said as she closed the book and looked to her friend who had gone to get her drink.She really needed to control that wild gypsy temper.  
br"Hey Ania are you going to stalk the dark again tonight?"yelled one of the drunken usuals.She didn't get a chance to answer as he continued his line of thought."No matter what you do girl,you'll still be a half breed and not accepted by those you strive to protect."  
brKreg growled and yelled "OUT,GET YER REAR OUT AND SLEEP IT OFF" the dwarf was hopping mad,he slid the drink in front of the stunned gypsy girl and stalked over to the druken man who disturbed the peace.  
brHurt the girl took her drink and slinked from the seat and out the door.She wanted to get into the woods before the sun fully set.  
br"Ania,Ania..."  
br She paused and turned around to see the young human come running to her.His robes reflected the sunrise and the half-elf gave an inner sigh,the human had developed a health crush on the gypsy girl.  
br"Why are you not indoors?"he asked her as he came to a stop after almost crashing into her.  
br"I was about to go into the woods,Brother Leighton"she answered as she turned from him to continue her pace. "I suggest you get back to the temple,friend" she called "its safer."  
br"You too should be safely roomed for the night" Leighton said resting a hand on her leather clad shoulder,causeing her to tense and icy violet eyes to turn to him,she gazed at his pale hand against her sleeve.  
brThe priest quickly withdrew his hand and looked embaressed."Sorry,Tatie."he said addressing her by the first part of her name which caused a`look of alarm to cross her pale face.  
br"Don't use that name Lei" she said as her eyes went around again to the shadows,Strahd often searched for those with her description let alone her name."I need to be going,night Brother Leighton" she sprinted across the town into the woods.  
brBrother Leighton watched the fey girl go with a heavy heart.The two of them had almost been sweethearts,had his father not raised such a tempest over the fact she was gypsy and that had alinated the tempermental girl,he went back towards the Temple unlike ,Ania he was afraid to be out after dark,he worried for her being out,of course deep down he also wondered if she didn't have a death wish.  
P The silence of the woods caused her to relaxe and she eased herself beneath her prefered tree,her own mother had worshipped the goddess Sahenine Moonbow and Ania always felt safe in the moonlight,then again the other half of her vistani blood was silver elven.  
brShe tuned her instrument a ancient fiddle and began to run her fingers lightly across the strings,a delightful tinging sound was produced as she played along the strings.  
brTo her right was a long sword silvered for hunting,that had costed her a pretty penny and she had saved up along time to get that weapon.  
brHer voice joined her playing,mystically beautiful and undeniablely beautiful as she watched her surrounding with a keen eye,it was nearing winter and soon the trees would be bare,but now the colorful leaves swayed as though to keep with her song.  
brCatching something from the corner of her eye move Ania let her gaze drift that way but said nothing her head tilted to the side,something wasn't right here the animals had stopped makeing a sound.  
brHer words continued though she took the longsword up,slideing the weapon slowly from its sheath.Her long hair falling in her eyes as she gazed about the woods for any sign of danger.  
p The slender blonde haired elf paused,his head tossed back he lightly sniffed the air.There was something not right about the woods tonight.  
brHe often prowled to the edge of the wood and listened to Ania as she played.He feared showing himself didn't want to attract the girl's attention or unduely scare her,he recognized her dress and knew how the Gypsies viewed him.  
brThe fiddles earthy song had stopped thought the charming voice of the girl did not as she went on singing about the coming winter.He peered from the shadows of the trees he had hidden in,watching her she too has sensed something her fiddle had been abandoned in favor of a sharp delicate elven longsword.  
pThe creatures had been attracted by her song and they entered the clearing slowly there beady red eyes glowing with hellsfire as they gazed at what they assumed to be a lone harmless female.  
brThe girl gasped slightly as she saw them,large almost the size of Dire Wolves with tentacles swaying around them,they were foaming at the mouth and looked utterly rabid insanity seemed to float around them like a cloud.  
brQuickly counting there were four of them,that was fair odds she hoped as she gulped and desperately wished she had brought with her,her longbow but that was a weapon she had forgotten to get off her bed.  
brThe group stalked out and Ania scowled,if she lived through this she would never forget her longbow again she freverantly swore.  
brThe blonde elf felt the hairs on the back of his neck rise as he saw the creatures.He was a peace lobver and despised the idea of visiting violence on any liveing creature,but these things were stalking her,the gentle bard who came and often played for him.  
br He glanced to the daggers he possessed and he sighed he was going to get into a fight and he knew this the second the lead wolf lept to attack the girl,his form blurred,elongated and became covered in a soft golden down,sleek muscles moved beneath his fur as he was fully a wolf now.  
brHe inserted himself between the girl and the leaping wolf,his larger wolf form easily dropping the lighter wolf from his course.The two went down in a snapping growling ball of fur one sun touched the other devoid of any light.  
brAnia gasped as she looked at the new wolf,but concentrated her effort on the other three creatures.Her body moved with the ease of a dancer as she struck the creature and then away, twice.  
brHer well placed blows cut through the side of the nearest creature its howl of pain and smell of blood was disgusting and she wanted to cover her face at the smell of the ichor.  
brOne lept for her but she had ducked out of its way,the other however knocked her to the ground sending the silver sword skittering under a tree.  
brShe bawled up to protect her neck but felt the stinging pain as its fangs bit into her upper arm and tore.A cry escaped her at that,the pain was horriable.  
brWithin that second there came a yelp from the other wolf but it was cut short as the great golden wolf snapped its neck.The wolf mauling her was next the golden wolf snapped at it,not slamming into it for fear of it tearing the half elf beneath it more,luckily his attack drew its attention and it turned to face the new attacker.  
brAnia's hat had been lost in the fight her red-gold hair spilled around her as she crawled to where the sword was half hidden under leaves she retrieved it and got back to her feet in enough time to attack the wolf she had already wounded before as it was about to get into the fight with the gold wolf.  
brThe last of the wolves hung back and looked to the shadows,as though directed by something.The tentacles grasped the golden wolf weakly but the gold wolf again snapped the other creatures neck,its strength superior to the creatures own.  
brThe golden wolf shook off and rolled to its feet glanceing around with large silver eyes,the girl was on her feet barely,she smelled of hurt and was fending the wounded wolf off,she struck it one final time and it fell limp.  
brHaunching down the gold wolf looked to the last wolf and growled low,it didn't seem about to attack and fled at the death of the other three leaveing its prey and the preys protector.  
brTo Ania's horror,the wolf bodies seemed to fall apart,and become clay,the monsters had not been birthed but created.  
br"By the moon" she whispered softly the earth was rushing up at her swiftly and she sat her blade down,least she fall on it.Out of the corner of her eyes she saw something going towards Bere,dressed in shadows there then not there.  
br"The shadows.."she moaned as the earth caught her.  
brShifting back out of the girl's sight the golden wolf became a golden elf,which swept up the girl and took her back into the village to the one place he knew would answer the door, the Temple of Lathander. 


	3. The Temple

The Temple of Lathandar was still well lit as it stood as beacon of light in darkness set against the shadowed and scared town.  
  
Brother Leighton had just settled into the old teke chair at the table to enjoy a late-night snack.Father Sorcha was asleep and he was the only one still awake he opened his mouth to take a bite of his sandwhich when the loud knock came at the door.  
  
"What the.."he asked as he looked up from his food and wondered who or what would be out this late at night.His answers would soon be answered,he reach for his staff and went to the door leaning on the staff he peeked out the door and a gasp came from him.  
  
A beautiful as that was the only way to put was he was beautiful,elf.Long blonde hair was wind blown and tossed about his point ears,he was clad in tones of grey but that only seemed to heighten his beauty was waiting outside on the cobblestone,he was worried and the emotion was written all over his face.  
  
However,it was only a fleeting look for Leighton as he saw that the elf held a very hurt Ania."Ania" he gasped as he reach for the girl who was paler then the elf who had brought her there.  
  
"Please help her.."the elf spoke his voice meledious and soft pleading as he met Leighton's eyes."She was attacked in the woods...by strange wolf creatures" he said in a hurry as Ania was taken from him.  
  
"Yes of course thank you brother..you know you look an awful lot like the Morninglord." Leighton said as he brought a healing hand lightly over the gypsy girl's face his finger glowing with the divine energy of his faith.  
  
Jandar turned to go but as he got five paces away from the front door he heard something that would have stopped his heart had it been beating.  
  
"Jandar" Ania whispered her hands flailing in her sleep and the elven vampire turned back a almost haunted look to his eyes.  
  
With a few graceful movements he was again beside the priest who still stood on the temple front steps and a golden hand brushed her damp red-gold hair back from her face,immediately Ania relaxed and went peaceful again.  
  
It was in that moment that Brother Leighton realized he had compition and looking at the elven man he didn't like it one bit.  
  
"Thank you brother.."he said clipped and turned his back to go back in "She should be fine" he said over his shoulder and the double door shut.  
  
Jandar looked after the departing figures,somehow he felt that he had made an enemy in the young priest.Though Ania recognition of him disturbed him far more,he turned and retreated back to the woods and the cottage to await the coming of the next night when he could get to the bottem of it all.  
  
The sun would soon rise.  
  
After situateing the hurt girl and offering what healing he could to her many cuts bruises and claw marks Brother Leighton left her room with a single light on,the girl was closer to death then either he or Jandar had realized,she was stable for now and Father Sorcha would be able to help her in the morning,still Leighton couldn't help but feel jealous,the elf was surely the reason Ania had been so formal with him rebuffing his affections,with that on mind he returned to his own chamber,tomarrow he planned to find out as much as he could about the elf. 


	4. In The Night

The fey girl flittered in and out of consiousness as the poison worked its way from her system,things were coming back to her,sleeping in a place with alot of people,poor Mad Meg with her dolly mistaken it for her child.  
  
Scarlett who didn't see or hear anyone,and little Terri who was said to have killed so many,was only five and often time clung to her skirts as she moved about offering some light in there sad exsistance,more often then not they were forgotten and not feed,a blight on Waterdeep Society a place they would prefer to ignore exsisted.  
  
Ania half opened her eyes and looked around,she screamed the shadowy figure was there,he was coming for her,with his glowing red eyes and glistening sharp teeth.Ania was beside herself there was no where for her to run or flee too,she began to scratch at the walls and cry tears streaking down her face,all she knew was he wasn't to possess her that he'd done her a great dis-service in the past.  
  
Leighton slept few doors down,his dreams were peaceful,filled with nymph's who wished to lure him into there waiting arms,his robes were taken from him by another,he was in heaven or as close as he could get when he was led to there queen who looked like Ania,he started to speak to her but she screamed at him.  
  
"What?"he asked as she screamed again then the dream melted away,that had been a real scream and one that came from Ania's room.  
  
Fire couldn't have made him move quicker as he ran down the stone hallway over brightly colored rugs.  
  
He flung the door open to find Ania screaming crying and scratching at the walls."What had happened to her?" he asked himself.  
  
"Ania...it will be alright" he tried to comfort her but she fled him.Wild eyed she always put things between them and screaming the whole while.  
  
The other priests had arrived at this time and were as confused as anyone to the screaming girl and why Brother Leighton was chaseing her.  
  
"We need to restrain her" said brother Ivan solemnly as he looked to the two other brothers,Kerwick and Vance.  
  
It took them the better part of an hour to restrain the girl as she fought them as though her life depended on it.To her it did.  
  
"What was that all about?"asked Kerwick who was panting hard and offering his kerchief to Ivan to still the flow of blood from his nose.  
  
"She was sleeping fine when I left her to rest myself" answered Leighton with a frown."She was brought here by a golden elf."he said with a confused shake of his sandy head.  
  
"A golden elf you say?" Father Sorcha asked as he arrived on the scene,his aged face seemed to loose some of its lines."Jandar..?"he asked finally.  
  
Leighton nodded his head mutely wondering how the elder knew him.The others also turned to him looking curious.They had not known Sorcha to have friends outside the town.  
  
"He saved me long ago from a death worse then any I could have imagined as a youth."expained the Father as he looked to the girl sleeping in a corner of the room,her hair falling around her in a dishelved mess,spilling over her to pool on the floor.  
  
"Isn't that Ania ?"he asked in a low tone worried for the girl as he looked to Leighton,the youth only nodded and looked at loss.  
  
"I don't know whats wrong with her or how to help her either"he complained."She just stared screaming" he left out the part about the sun elf calming her before.  
  
"I will do what I can for her son,"said Sorcha as he knew that Leighton had long had designs on wedding the girl,he just wondered how his old friend was involved in all this. 


	5. The Truth Revealed

The moon shone down lightly on the small well hidden cottage as the slender man moved about his garden large heavy gloves over delicate digits to keep him from coming in contact with the precious flowers he so loved.  
  
He senses picked up the fact there was someone nearing his home quickly and he stopped what he was doing looking to the clearing wondering if it would be more of the wold-like creatures or something -else.  
  
"The fay girl ?" his mind asked "she has not been back a week since "the little voice that nagged him in the part of his mind that he couldn't always silence.  
  
It was not his little bard that emerged through the woods but rather a elder old man on a staff carved into a likeness of a wolf head,a framilar staff-one he had carved half a century before.  
  
"Sorcha what brings you here?"his musical voice called as he stood and went to the elder priest helping him to his old cottage.  
  
Once he had Sorcha seated at a table and some warm tea and bread set infront of the old priest he waited to hear what was on his friends mind,his golden face pale beneath the gold and drawn at the brow in concern.  
  
"You must come Jandar Sunstar,she is not getting better,and no one can get through her she crys your name at times other times she just whimpers,its when she screams and tears at the walls that it gets really bad."he whispered.  
  
"Ania" Jandar said softly it wasn't a question,though the words that Sorcha spoked stunned him.Her actions were just like his lost Anna.  
  
"Yes " agreed Sorcha "the same" his tone low.  
  
Jandar looked pain "I will come" he agreed and stood removeing the gloves from his hands.He returned to the city to the place he had tried to leave behind that continued to call him back.  
  
His golden bangs fell into his eyes as he looked away and over his home a sudden thought occuring to him."Can you bring her here?"he asked looking to Sorcha."It would cause me less pain."  
  
The Priest hesitated then nodded his head "We will bring her here Jandar,the Morninglord protect her we can do little to help her." he said softly.  
  
Leighton looked in on her ,she was quiet today no out bursts,she sat by the window looking out into the town,her father had visited she had talked animatedly with him no sign of any sort of sickness in her as she did.  
  
He entered the room and took the comb from her helping her run it through her knee length red-gold locks,the honey color bright as any sun.  
  
Ania seemed quiet and let him,humming lightly to herself as he did.Her fingers longed for her fiddle but she didn't ask for it she merely played her fingers in the air.  
  
"You should let me marry you,Ania and take you away from this place of pain and your own pain."he whispered to her softly as he kissed a pointy ear.  
  
Freezeing ever muscle in her body went taunt and she back handed him,she didn't expect to do it and he hadn't seen it coming so he looked at her in shook as she stood shakeing and stareing at him.  
  
"Don't you ever try that again Leighton " she screamed at him her fury giveing her cheekbones a high color as her hands went to her hips.  
  
The surprised Lathanderite looked on her in surprise as she had never hit him before."It Jandar isn't it !" he demanded as he growled also angry.He had known it had been someone but he never imagined it to be a elf.  
  
"So if it is.."she said standing next to the window "Your father would not approve,I will not wed you Leighton turn your sights elsewhere to another who would have you."  
  
He scowled and then rage contorted his face and he dived for her.She scrambled out of his way barely her ankle grabbed she fell hard to the floor the air knocked out of her so her scream died on her lips.  
  
"It is the elf,but Ania sweet one,you are just a half elf what makes you think he would want you?"he demanded as he pinned her down restraining her hands above her.  
  
She couldn't get her breath back and when she did she screamed.  
  
Sorcha sighed "Not again" he sighed as he turned to the cloaked elf."Please enter Jandar" he said and the elven vampire gingerly stepped across the threshold into the holy place.His head snapped up."That was an alarmed scream" Jandar said as he bolted up the steps just seeming to know where to go.  
  
Leighton looked like a devil his hair was wild,his hazel eyes lit with a weird light,there were two claw marks bleeding freely down his face from Ania's nails.She was backed into a corner and looking fearful her clothes were torn but she seemed to be alright other wise.  
  
"Thats enough" Father Sorcha called as he looked to the younger member of his religion.The boy paid him no heed much to his chargin.  
  
Jandar grabbed him firmly and yanked him back from Ania,Leighton pulled away roughly and to the ground fell two little figurines,molded from clay in the shape of a wolf.  
  
"You did it ?" demanded the elven vampire as he stared at the priest."You sent those things that nearly killed her?"he hissed he was angry and he wasn't sure why."How could you do that to her?" he fought to keep his beast down as his grip tightend.  
  
"She would have needed me!" he yelled "but you ruined that,she's a half breed why would you want her,the gypsy's don't even want her" he spat.  
  
Jandar felt claws elongate on his hand and he pulled back before he realized he was about to strike the priest.  
  
A warm hand grabbed his in a soft hold."Jandar.."her voice was soft and he looked up at her.He released the priest and looked to the abused girl,her hair covering her ripped clothes and there was a look of sadness yet acceptance in her eyes.She leaned down and hugged him,he fell into her arms and she petted his hair.  
  
Father Sorcha went to the young priest and looked down at him."Come son you need to loose that anger in your heart." he helped the younger priest up and helped him from the room.  
  
"Who are you ?" Jandar asked her in a low whisper.  
  
"I don't know,I suppose we will find out" she said softly as the two knelt in moonlight. 


	6. Returning Darkness

The tree's were dappled with colorful leaves bright reds-oranges and gold's lined the path way's between his cottage and the town, he held the reigns to the horse, the wagon was the only way he usually had of being near horse's which he had to charm usually to get to calm down. His silver gaze went to the woman beside him.   
  
She was quiet as she sat tuning the fiddle resting across her lap, Jandar gave her a curious look every now and again, since the night in the Temple she showed no sign of insanity, since she had held him, why she would want an ancient elf and vampire at that was beyond Jander's comprehension, she had merely looked up at him with those soft blue eyes and stated firmly to him. "We don't choose who we love!" then she was back to doing what ever she had been doing leaving the elven vampire in blessed silence but companionable just the same.   
  
"This is your first visit back in the village since," he paused trying to find a gentle way to say since she went crazy, but he couldn't find any so he chewed his lower lip and motioned with his hands. "Since the trouble in the Temple." he fianally finished gracefully.   
  
She laughed and tucked hair behind her ear, her cap firmly over the crown of wild hair. "You can say it, since I lost my marbles." she said as she looked at the flowers and sighed soon there would be no flowers just snow on the ground and everything would sleep until winter. "I think I would like to sleep through winter, when the flowers and rain returns." she said wistfully though not to anyone really, and Jander felt his breath catch, had she known he'd pondered turning her, he was to noble to do it, even he was given to his moment of weakness, it would be wrong and he knew it, prehaps that was the only thing that kept Ania from becoming a creature of the night like himself.  
  
"You enjoy the first snow on the ground, Ania and would miss the crisp chill in the early morning light if you slept through it." he reminded her softly as he brushed hair back from his eyes and focused on the road, he spoke softly as he always did. "What will you do about Leighington?" he asked trying to keep the anger from his voice, his eyes betrayed him though as the silver orbs darkend to a deep grey.   
  
"What do you mean?" Ania asked her bow drawing across the string causing it to hum lightly. Seeing the anger in Jandar's eyes reading him as she had learned to do so over the past half year she had spent recovering she winced. "If he ever touches me again, I will kill him." she said firmly in a tone not to be debated. "It's not your responsability Jandar Sunstar."   
  
"No not yet." he answered her mysteriously though he was angry on the inside, if Leighington touched her again, he was afraid that the priest would have more to deal with then a elven girl that was still recovering no matter how healed she said she was.   
  
"Not yet, Jander...what do you mean?" she asked catching his words and tone she glanced over to him but the sun elf was in luck as Gretty's voice greeted them.   
  
"Ania girl it's a good sight to see you, I feared you taken away never to be seen from again!" she said as she sweeped the small elf woman down from the wagon into her arms, Gretty was a strong one. She hugged the girl speaking to her in low tone's then she turned big brown eyes on Jander. "Ohh so thats whats kept you away , got yourself a pretty elf man." she teased.   
  
The elven vampire suddenly felt placed on the spot, he loved Ania yes but he wasn't use to dealing with openly friendly people and this woman was defiantly openly friendly.   
  
"I am, Jander Sunstar of Evermeet." he greeted her slowly as he took a step foward to shake her hand as she offered it. "It is a pleasure to meet you my lady." he had not lost his charm,though he rarely put it to the test.   
  
"How are thing's Gretty?" the elf asked as she regained her footing and looked up at the woman, her stomach gave that lurch and she had that sinking feeling deep in the pit of her stomach, when a sorrow ful look went across Gretty's features.   
  
"You were away I had forgotten so you would not have heard." she said sadly, "They found Leighington's body torn to shred's and they put him to rest, we didn't think it would be best to tell you, because of your ...history with the lad." she explained.   
  
Had she not had Jander there to lean on she might have fainted, the elven vampire's arm smoothly encircled her waist and offered her a strong form to lean on. Something didn't seem quiet right to him, in fact something was wrong here. He just need time to think to figure out what it was that it might be.   
  
"Will you be staying the night then?" Gretty asked as she led Ania back toward's her home, it was a nicely built house two stories and she had added on since the elf had last been there. "Tell your friend not to dwadle, wouldn't want to be caught out past dark."   
  
Ania wanted to giggle she had learned of Jander's night problem and she didn't miss the hopeless look he shot her, the look that said. "Why me", she smiled up at him. "Come in.." she said once she'd passed the thresh-hold of the Inn, and Gretty only reinforced that welcome. "Yes Indeed, get in here and for the sake of the Mysts lock up!"   
  
It was a fun reunion ,Gretty talked animatedly as she always had, not even seeming troubled by what had transpired in the past, she included Jander into the conversation when ever she could and surpriseingly she did it remarkablely well.   
  
When it was finally time to retire for the evening, she bid the couple good night and left them to there room, she said she figured they were more then friends and wouldn't mind the close quarters. Jander would have blushed crimson if he had fed recently, Ania however flushed admireablely for him, he merely chuckled softly.   
  
The soft sounds of her breathing lulled Jander comfortablely as he leaned against the bed reclined reading through his own journal, he casted a glance to her ,long strands of red-gold hair was strewn across her pillow she was curled into a small ball as though fearing to take up to much room, what ever her dreams they were thankfully peaceful.   
  
As he rested there it suddenly struck him as to what was so odd about what Gretty had told them, If Brother Lei was found shredded as though by wolf paws, the wolves he summoned could have done it, and Jander winced, what if he'd staged his own death that would mean he was still out there, that thought alone kept the sun elf alert the rest of the night.   
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~* ~*~*~*~*~**~*~*~**~*  
  
In the shadowy fall of streets lights and building he stood watching the lights flicker off in the Inn, he licked his lips in anticipation, glanceing to the strange wolf creatures that looped at his side, and beyond them to the four beautiful woman. "Soon " the man promised as he swaggered to one to caress a cheek, "Soon we will feast on all in this cursed town."  
  
The woman purred under his touch and tried to get closer but he absently turned away to look back at the Inn as the last of the lights flickered out. "Ahhh yes , treasure the light for as long as you can." he hissed his dry laughter filled the city streets, then like a shadow, he his wolves and his women were gone.   
  
In the room upstairs, Jandar stood at the window unseen by the shadows, but not seeing them either, his pale form caressed by the moonlight as he wrapped his arms around himself, if he wasn't already dead he would have swore someone just walked across his grave. 


End file.
